Sonnet

The sonnet is a poem in fourteen lines. Sonnets were originally love-poems addressed to an imaginary beloved by a poet. They are in two parts: the first part introduces and develops the argument, and the second part makes a conclusion, proposal or comment. They were originally written by using a particular kind of diction and metaphors for appreciating and courting a lady. Still followed and adapted for writing poems in many kinds of subjects themes, the sonnet has been one of the most common ‘forms’ in which poets have written their poems. The sonnet was originally a verse form developed by an Italian poet named Patriarch in the 14th century. The English poets imitated it and Shakespeare later adapted it heavily in its subject and theme, its form, and in the devices of word-game, too. Now we have the English or Shakespearean form, besides the original Italian or Petrarchan form of the sonnet.
(i) Petrarchan/ original Italian Sonnet
The Petrarchan sonnet was a very strict and almost rigid form. Petrarch wrote a series of love poems about an imaginary lady, in a fixed meter and rhyming scheme (abbaabba; cdecde). His metaphors were also of a limited kind. The first eight lines stanza (octave) was dedicated for the appreciation of the lady in almost set terms. After this formal recounting of "said beauties" – or sometimes the story of suffering of the speaker – the speaker goes on to propose and appeal to the lady to accept his long refused love.
       Many English poets did write sonnets in its original classical form. But the most popular English sonneteer, William Shakespeare, changed and adapted (all three important elements of poetry in it) to the convenience of the English language and rhythm.

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